Want to Want Me
by FiveFootTwo
Summary: This is a Kastin story. Anna Kendrick finds out Skylar Astin is engaged, what will happen next? If you like Castin, please don't read this!
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: This is a Kastin story. Please don't read if you like Castin in any way. I mean no offense by this. This is** **fiction** **based on real events. This is the way things are in my mind, because I figure that there is no point in having the ability to imagine the world the way you think it should be if you don't use it. This is how I think it should be…**

She scrolls through his Twitter feed, angrily clicking on his pictures and reading the comments. _You idiot,_ she thinks, _this is why you don't follow him on Twitter or Instagram, because every time you see any of his posts all you're left with is anger. That, and nausea,_ she mentally adds before closing the browsing window on her phone and tossing it onto her bed.

So what if they're engaged. She doesn't care, right? Who cares if she-who-must-not-be-named tweeted a picture of their manicured hands with hers proudly displaying his ring. Who gets points put into the white tips of their French manicure anyway? She grumbles internally. And who cares about her stupid lost hat at the gym. Post signs up at the gym, not on social media for the entire world to see! The girl needs a hat that reads _Attention Seeker_ in big, bold letters.

She doesn't understand why she feels this way. She's famous, more so than either of them. She's Oscar nominated. She's won awards. She's had a number one single on the radio. So why is she letting them make her feel bad?

Only it isn't them, it's _him._

And the fact that he chose _her_ instead.

And she doesn't know if she'll ever get over it.

It didn't start this way, and she isn't even sure what changed. When they first met on the set of Pitch Perfect, he flirted with her like crazy. She was the one he posted pictures of on social media. He followed her around like a lovesick puppy, going out of his way to try to make her laugh and smile, much like his character, Jesse Swanson, did in the movie. It was towards the end of filming when his focus shifted to Anna Camp instead, and Anna Kendrick didn't understand why. Anna Camp was married. She'd been to her and her husband's house for Thanksgiving during filming. They seemed happy together. Rumors began circulating around the set that Skylar and Camp were an item, but she dismissed them because in her mind, Camp was married to Michael. And besides, Skylar wasn't like that, right?

Not too long after the movie finished, it was announced that Camp and Skylar were officially an item. Camp divorced Michael, claiming that they'd been having problems. Camp had been a good friend of hers, a best friend, and had never mentioned ever having any difficulty with Michael, so again she was stunned.

And then the social media onslaught began. Pictures of them with horrible hashtags like #mylove. They got a dog together. They somehow managed to always have pictures of them kissing, sometimes photo-shopped to make them look dreamy together. She couldn't take it, so she unfollowed both of them on every social media platform. But occasionally, like right now, she found herself seeking out their profiles, like some sort of masochist.

"Hashtag my love," she scoffs out loud to no one, "How about hashtag my ass." She flops down on her bed and sighs. At least he hasn't signed on to do Pitch Perfect 3.

Yet.

-x-x-x-x-x-x-

He's only half listening as she rambles on and on in a whiny voice about her lost hat. He can't help but think if it were so important to her, then why did have to carelessly leave it at the gym? He doesn't voice that aloud of course, not wanting to start a fight with her.

He opens Twitter and searches for her as if he's on autopilot. He's done this so often that now he does it without thought, and since she unfollowed him he unfollowed her out of principle. Mainly though, he was hurt by her actions. What had he done that caused her to want to sever their friendship? Her Twitter feed loads and he laughs at her latest tweets, they're so sarcastic and witty and undeniably her that he can't stop the smile that spreads across his face and the chuckle that escapes his lips.

"I don't see how any of this is funny," Camp snaps, obviously annoyed.

"Oh I'm sorry," he replies, quickly closing Twitter and turning his attention to her, "I just saw something funny online."

"You didn't answer my question," Camp says pointedly, looking at him expectantly.

"I'm sorry, what was the question?" he asks sheepishly.

"I knew you weren't paying attention," she scowls, crossing her arms over her chest. "I asked what you thought I should do if the hat never turns up."

He sighs, "If you never find it, I'll fly to Hawaii and buy you another one," he responds.

"You don't get it," she frowns at him, "It's not just a hat to me. It's the hat I got on the trip we were on when you proposed!"

"Alright, alright," he says holding up his hands, "I'll alert the FBI. I'm sure they'll stop everything that's going on so that they can find your hat." He means this to be joking, but she doesn't laugh. "Look, I don't know what you want me to say or do here. I think you've done all you can to find it. If it doesn't turn up, I'm sorry, ok?"

She says nothing, shakes her head, and turns to leave the room. He sighs again, unlocking his phone with his thumb and this time opening Instagram. Again he searches for her, and smiles when he's reminded that she loves Star Wars and seems to have a mild interest in football, at least where the Patriots are concerned.

He finds himself daydreaming about when they first met on the set of Pitch Perfect. He was attracted to her, of course. He'd be a fool not to notice her. He was aware that she had a long time boyfriend but it didn't stop him from flirting shamelessly with her. He told himself that he was just playing a role, gearing up to play Jesse Swanson, but he knew it was more than that. They had this chemistry together, this spark that he couldn't explain. It was the reason he got the role in the first place. But no matter how hard he tried, she remained professional, detached almost. Camp pursued him from the beginning, and he couldn't help but feel flattered. She was more famous than he, and she was pretty. He didn't realize she was married at first, and then she reassured him that it was nearly over, so he didn't think much about it. He was so wrapped up in the excitement of being with this woman that prior to this movie he wouldn't have had a chance with that he didn't notice that Kendrick was disappearing from him, one step at a time. It wasn't until the film wrapped and she unfollowed him that he realized. He tried texting her but she never replied.

When Pitch Perfect 2 was announced he was over the moon about it. The first film had launched his career in so many ways, and he immediately signed on to the project. He waited eagerly to see if Kendrick would also sign on, and when she did he was thrilled. Maybe now he could figure out what went wrong with her before.

She was perfectly pleasant with him on set. She acted her scenes brilliantly and as always was the consummate professional. But he couldn't help but notice that she joked around with everyone but him. And she smiled more when she was around others than with him. And he found himself fumbling awkwardly through their shared scenes. Elizabeth Banks kept having them redo them and he could tell Kendrick was losing her patience, but she continued to nail it each time. He just couldn't get over himself. He wanted to shout at her or shake her, anything to figure out what was going on in that pretty little head of hers, but he couldn't. Not with Camp always watching his every move, standing on the side of the set while he tried to pretend as if he was in love with Beca Mitchell.

When the film was released it was no shock to him that most of his scenes were cut. He was probably dreadful in them. Elizabeth claimed that it was because they didn't want to have tension and negativity shroud Beca and Jesse's relationship, but the edits made his storyline look choppy and convoluted, and he wasn't happy about that. It just seemed like Jesse abandoned Beca when she needed him most, and it didn't make sense that he showed up in Copenhagen after being absent for most of the film. Was Becca happy to see Jesse? They didn't even show them reunite in the end, just a one second shot of her smiling at him in recognition. It was as if she didn't really care that he just disappeared out of her life.

Art really does imitate life, he thought.

Camp was so thrilled with her performance in the movie that she didn't even seem to notice that he was cut. "Still pays the bills," she commented when he tried to express his disappointment, but it didn't even faze her.

And then Pitch Perfect 3 was announced, and Kendrick immediately signed on to star in it. He wasn't approached right away, and he couldn't decide if he should even do it after his performance in Pitch Perfect 2. Would they cut all his scenes again?

Mostly, he didn't know how he would ever be able to face Anna Kendrick again.

-x-x-x-x-x-x-

An emerald shaped diamond…doesn't he know that this cut creates the least facets which make the ring look dull and sparkle-less? She's just being bitchy now, she knows it, but she can't help it. Her thoughts drift back to when they were filming Pitch Perfect 2 together. The spark that she felt with him during the first film was gone, and they just seemed out of sync together. She knows that's why their scenes were cut, too. He just seemed so awkward with her, and she couldn't figure out the reason. She's the one who should have felt awkward, with his girlfriend staring at them the entire time.

It's been like a splinter in her mind all this time, this sudden shift in Skylar. She knows she was trying to play it cool with him out of respect to Edgar, but then he went for a married woman instead. "He's not worth all this angst," she says out loud. I mean the guy tweets stupid sports facts and the stuff with Camp was sickening. Why does she care about him at all?

It's that electricity she felt, and she knows it. She's acted with many other guys, and she's met a lot of men in her life, but she never felt that before. His behavior is making her question whether it ever existed in the first place, and she hates that.

She scrolls through her phone contacts noting that his number is still saved amongst them. She taps it and opens up the window to send him a text. His last message appears on her screen, the date stamp reading February 2012. "Hey, did I do something wrong? If I did, I'm sorry."

She stares at this for a long while. She never replied to it. Did she mean to never reply? She can't remember now. She knows that he and Camp were already an item then even though they were trying to hide it. Her stomach begins to churn with the thought, but of seemingly their own volition, her thumbs begin typing out a message to him.

"I hear congratulations are in order. Cheers to the happy couple." She hits send before she can change her mind.

Skylar's phone chimes with an incoming message. He gapes in disbelief as he processes who it's from, and doesn't hesitate to type his response. "Thanks! Long time since we chatted. Glad to hear from you."

He waits for her reply, and then smiles when her message appears, "Been busy. You know, making movies in between my sitting around and eating."

"What are you smiling at?" Camp's voice breaks him out of his reverie.

"Kendrick just texted to say congratulations, wasn't that nice of her?" Skylar explains.

"I thought you guys didn't talk anymore," Camp furrows her brow, "I wonder why now all of a sudden?"

"Maybe she heard we're engaged and just wanted to congratulate us?" Skylar says sardonically.

"Yeah, but she was really weird when you and I first got together. She stopped talking to both of us, and cut all ties," Camp reminds him.

"I know," Skylar rubs his forehead, "Look, I don't know what she's thinking. I'm just trying to be polite here. You know, stay on good terms in case we film together again."

"Right," Camp pauses, clearly deep in thought. "You know what I always thought? I thought she liked you too, and that's why she got so strange with us. She was jealous."

Skylar laughs, "Yeah right, like that could ever happen."

Camp scowls, "Why not? Hey! Don't insult my taste in men," she quips, and then with a wink, she leaves the room.

Skylar stares at his phone at Kendrick's last message to him. Could it be true? Could that explain all the awkwardness and silence? He types a reply to her, testing the waters.

"Haha. I've missed talking to you. Do you think you'd want to catch up sometime? Maybe get a coffee or something?"

There's a long pause before she responds, "Sure, name the time and place and I'll be there."

After that, neither one of them can stop smiling for the rest of the day.


	2. Chapter 2

Ugh. Why did she agree to meet him? She paces outside of the Starbucks, a location of his choosing in the heart of Los Angeles. She isn't sure why she's here, or what she expects to come out of this, and she can't stop the fluttering of butterflies in her stomach. It's an odd time for coffee, 10:30 in the morning, so the place is nearly empty. Most people are still reeling from their morning caffeine buzz and will arrive around noon for a recharge. She figures they have an hour, tops, before someone notices them and the paparazzi appear.

Just to be honest, she confided in Ben Richardson, her boyfriend, that she was meeting Skylar for coffee at his request. She told Ben that Skylar was interested in reconnecting with her in preparation for Pitch Perfect 3, and she wanted to smooth things over with him so that they could each do their respective roles justice in the film. Ben, of course, had no problem with this, explanation or not. He was just that kind of guy, no nonsense and practical, and she loved that about him.

Skylar, in turn, is so excited he can barely sit still. He doesn't mention anything about the meeting to Camp, since she'd been so snippy with him the past few days due to that stupid missing hat. She also made sure to get in her digs about Kendrick whenever possible, and Skylar could tell her passive-aggressiveness was more a result of jealousy than anything else, and he determined it was best to keep this under wraps for now. It was just coffee, after all. And he could always say that he had randomly run into Kendrick.

He finds parking along the street about a block away and pulls his car to a stop. As he approaches the Starbucks he spots her waiting on the street. Her hair is in loose curls, restrained only by the sunglasses she wears perched on top of her head. She's wearing jeans, sneakers and a scoop neck top which is cut low enough to reveal the tops of her perfect breasts. He ogles her from a distance for a moment before taking a deep breath and striding purposefully toward her, a confident bounce in his step.

She turns, registering his approach and takes in his appearance. He's dressed in jeans and Converse sneakers, with a form fitting vintage t-shirt underneath a black lightweight jacket. He looks great as always, and she inadvertently licks her lips.

"Hey," he says, unsure of whether he should hug her or shake her hand, so instead he politely bows his head in acknowledgement and gestures toward the door of the Starbucks. "Ladies first," he tells her.

She smiles back at him and thanks him when he opens the door for her. He takes the opportunity to notice the way her jeans hug her curves as she walks toward the counter to order her beverage. They pay separately and she looks out at the café. "Should I get us a table?" she asks him and he nods. After retrieving their lattes he brings them to the table and sits across from her.

"Thanks for meeting me today," he begins. "So, how have you been?"

"Pretty good," she replies, looking directly into his dark brown eyes briefly before turning away. "And you?"

"Eh, you know, the usual," he responds. A moment of awkward silence passes over them as she nervously looks around the café at the other patrons before turning her attention back to him.

"So how's Anna? I wasn't sure if you'd be bringing her along today," she's looking at her hands as she says this.

"Nah," he answers, laughing a little, "She doesn't even know I'm here, actually. It's just that when you texted me the other day I realized we haven't talked in ages, and I missed my friend."

He swears he sees her flinch at the word "friend" but blows it off as just being a figment of his imagination. "It's just that I've been so busy lately," she explains, "And then there's Ben."

"Oh right, your boyfriend?" he asks and she nods. "How are things going with him? There were rumors a while back that you were engaged."

She holds up her bare ring finger, "No, not engaged, just happened to be wearing a ring and the paparazzi noticed is all," she manages a smile.

"Yeah they've been all over us lately," Skylar admits, smiling back at her.

"Does it bother you? The lack of privacy?" she wonders aloud, "Because it would seem to me like you'd love it."

He frowns, "What makes you think that?" he questions.

"Um, Twitter? Instagram?" she actually laughs now at his naivety. "Come on, Skylar. Tell me you don't know!"

"Don't know what?" he's trying to look baffled, but there's a twinkle in his eye when he looks at her.

Her stomach flips as she feels it for the first time since before he was with Camp, that spark.

"Do I really need to explain to you that you are all over social media constantly broadcasting your relationship? I didn't need to 'catch up' with you. All I had to do was check your pages." She rolls her eyes at him and shakes her head.

"Well the way I see it," he quips back, "If you can't beat 'em, join 'em."

"You're an idiot," she smiles brightly at him, and he feels a warm heat pool in his abdomen. He had forgotten how gorgeous she is. Well, not really. It is impossible to forget how beautiful someone looks when they are famous, but in person she is breathtaking. He can feel himself being drawn to her by some sort of invisible magnet. It was how he felt when they first met, that feeling that was absent when they'd filmed the sequel.

He looks at her for a long while, noticing the blush that spreads across her face as she realizes that he's staring. "So, tell me something," he says in a low, hushed tone, "Why is it that we can sit here now, like this, when during the sequel you could barely look at me?"

She doesn't respond at first, turning away from him and looking out across the café. "I don't know," she answers, "Something just changed for me somehow."

"Is it because of Camp?" he wonders.

She sighs, still not meeting his gaze. "Look," she begins, "I'd be lying if I said your relationship with her doesn't bother me. It does. She was married. I was friends with Michael. And then you just came in and well, ruined everything."

"It wasn't like that," he interrupts, but she holds up her hand to silence him.

"I don't need to know the details or an explanation," she continues, "It doesn't matter. They were married, and then you came along, and then they weren't. Whether Camp initiated your relationship or you did doesn't make it suddenly right. And after that I just couldn't stand to look at either of you, broadcasting your love all over the internet. The whole thing, it just seemed…tasteless, I guess. Like her marriage meant nothing to either of you."

"Wow," he rubs his temples, "How's that for honesty?" he tries to make light of the situation and fails.

"And then it was like, we had this great thing going as Beca and Jesse," she's rambling now, but she doesn't stop herself, "And I just couldn't look at you the same way anymore."

"And how exactly did you look at me before?" he questions.

"I don't know," she admits, "Like Jesse Swanson, I guess. You were this dependable, charming, sweet guy who was always trying to get me to laugh. That guy wouldn't have broken up a marriage. Camp came into the picture and it was like no one else mattered to you anymore. Jesse Swanson wouldn't have turned his back on his friends."

Skylar frowns, "I didn't turn my back on anyone. Camp and I fell in love. I don't see why it matters to you anyway. You were with Edgar then. You're with Ben now," his tone is growing increasingly louder in intensity.

"Yes, but we had a connection," she admits finally, gesturing between them, "At least I felt it. And then suddenly it didn't matter to you anymore. And don't use Edgar as an excuse when obviously Michael wasn't enough of one when it came to Camp."

 _Wow_ , they both think internally. They're really laying it all out on the table here. There's no going back now.

"So what you're really saying is you don't think _you_ mattered to me anymore?" he asks after a long pause. She looks down at her hands in silent acknowledgement. "How could you possibly think that? I thought _you_ didn't want to be friends with _me_ anymore. You didn't answer my texts. Hell, Anna, you barely even _looked_ at me."

"I couldn't," she says, her voice barely above a whisper. "Every time I did I just thought of _her_."

His mind is reeling. Is she saying what he thinks she's saying? That she's jealous? That the reason for all of this awkwardness is because she wanted him all along and he didn't choose her?

"But you were with Edgar," his voice is barely above a whisper. "You didn't want me. You didn't show any interest in me," he insists, unable to process this turn of events. Would he even have gone for Camp if Kendrick had shown him any interest? Would he have ended up with Kendrick instead? "I didn't know you were an option," he says finally.

"If you had would it have changed anything?" she whispers, her blue eyes meeting his brown eyes with such intensity that he thinks it would be physically painful to look away from her in this moment.

"I don't know," he breathes. His heart is pounding. He takes in her beauty, her humor, her insane talent for anything and everything that is Anna Kendrick, and he knows in an instant that it would have mattered. It does matter, even now. "Yes, it would have changed everything," he tells her quickly before he loses his nerve.

She studies him for a moment, taking in the fact that the café is becoming more and more crowded as the lunch hour approaches. Her mind seems to be thinking a million thoughts a moment as he watches her contemplate her next move. She rises from her chair slowly before bending over, giving him a full view of her cleavage, her hair cascading down her shoulders and flowing like a curtain in front of him.

"Good to know," she says, her voice barely audible in all the background noise of the restaurant.

And before he can reply, before he can even react, she presses her lips ever so gently to his for a split second, pulling away the instant her lips meet his. Her kiss is like a jolt to his senses. His entire body immediately reacts with this overwhelming feeling of need, of want. He resists the urge to pull her to him and press himself heatedly against her, so strong is his desire. He blinks his eyes several times, trying to regain his composure.

She smiles, her eyes revealing a mixture of amusement and confidence. "So I guess I'll see you around, Skylar," she says nonchalantly, apparently unfazed by what just transpired between them. She turns to walk away as he finally gets himself together enough to form a coherent thought.

"Anna, wait!" he calls after her as she steps out onto the busy sidewalk. She turns around and looks at him expectantly. He takes her by the hand, preventing her from walking away until he can figure out what he wants to say. "Please don't just disappear on me now again. You can't just say that and do that and then walk away."

"Why not?" she asks before very pointedly adding, "You did."

And then just like that, she's gone.

 **A/N: Thanks for all the lovely reviews. I'm sorry if these chapters are a bit rough. I write them very quickly on my lunch hour and don't proofread. I need suggestions for what you'd like to happen next. Do they have an affair? Do they break up with Ben and Camp? All thoughts are welcome. Thanks for reading!**


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: I don't know and don't care where Castin lives. For the purposes of this story, they have places in both LA and NYC. In my world, Camp belongs in another universe and Skylar belongs to Kendrick. Please forgive the switching POV in this chapter. I hope it still makes sense. Also, I mean no offense if you genuinely like The Bachelor. I am mocking it to further mock Camp. Thank you and happy reading!**

He stands for an immeasurable amount of time, his eyes transfixed in the direction he saw her go. He doesn't know what to do with any of the information he just learned. Was she saying that she wanted him before? Does she still want him now? Will it change anything? It seems he's left with far more questions than answers.

She walks briskly down the sidewalk in the direction of her car. She quickly gets into the driver's seat, gripping the steering wheel until her knuckles turn white. Why did she kiss him? Why did she tell him anything? She can feel the heat on her face and the tingling sensation still on her lips. Her heart pounds erratically in her chest, and she knows it isn't because of the caffeine from her latte. She hates Skylar for doing this to her, for making her feel this way, and she knows she has to regain some semblance of control. She releases her hands and stretches, trying to shake off the stress before starting her car and heading in the direction of home.

He drives around for a long while, not quite wanting to go home. He keeps picturing how flawless Anna's skin is, and the clear blue color of her eyes. But mostly, he can't get over the electric feeling of her lips. He tries to tell himself that it's just his mind playing tricks on him, imagining that he and Kendrick have something special. It doesn't matter, he repeats his internal mantra, and _you're engaged to Camp._

Eventually, he goes home. He and Camp enjoy a quiet dinner during which she talks and he mostly just nods to show he's listening. Afterwards, they sit down to watch The Bachelor together (her choosing) and she shows him that she bought his and hers cakes from the bakery to celebrate their engagement. She snaps a picture for social media, and then turns her attention to the show. He's only half-present. He could care less about the events on the show. His mind is entirely on Kendrick.

Anna keeps herself busy the rest of the day to avoid thinking about him. She talks to Ben on the phone and it helps. He really is sweet to her and loves her, and the feeling is mutual. When she finally sits on the couch to watch TV after dinner, she is feeling a Zen-like calm. She switches on The Bachelor mainly so she and Aubrey Plaza can text back and forth, mocking it.

Camp happily holds up her phone, showing Skylar her latest tweet, the picture of the cakes. He smiles at her and turns his attention to his phone, scrolling aimlessly through Twitter. Kendrick's name appears under his suggested list, and he clicks on her name. Immediately, he sees her latest tweets and notes how none of them are attention seeking, or boastful, or anything but self-deprecating, funny, and honest. He looks at Camp who is avidly watching this insipid show which should only be watched for mocking purposes, and tries to picture what Kendrick would say about it, which makes him smile.

"Whatcha smiling at?" Camp asks him, trying to take a peek at his phone. He puts it face down on his lap.

"Oh, I'm just happy, you know," he says to her and she smiles, turning her attention back to the TV.

Anna Kendrick eventually gets bored and finds herself scrolling through Twitter as well. Out of sheer curiosity, she clicks on Camp's page and sees the cake picture posted only minutes ago. "Ugh, what the fuck?" she says out loud. "How long can you celebrate this engagement thing? It's been a month!"

How can Skylar put up with this shit? Doesn't he have any pride, or sense, or opinion? Does he actually think Camp's posts are endearing? Does he only post things like that himself to appease her? Again, she throws her phone down in disgust, a common reaction to these vomit-inducing social media posts. What's next, a freakin' billboard on the side of the highway? Ugh, can you imagine the car accidents that would result from that horror?

No, no. She doesn't need this. She's better than this. She has a wonderful boyfriend and a great life, and she's not going to waste her time thinking about him. So what if the kiss was simple, yet amazing? Screw the spark. She can't be with someone who tolerates cake-posting nauseating nonsense and makes a mockery of actual, real love. Love that is pure and genuine and private. Love that doesn't need any advertisement because you can feel it just to be in its mere presence. Yes, that is what she deserves. She goes to bed content that this whole thing with Skylar was just a blip, a momentary lapse in judgement. And at least she got her feelings off her chest, right?

Meanwhile, Skylar is wide awake across town. His mind won't turn off, a constant loop of Camp versus Kendrick comparisons flitter through his consciousness. They're just so different; blonde/brunette, tall/short, public/private, girly/sarcastic, Teen Choice Awards/Academy Awards, vapid/deep.

Wait.

Does he really think the woman he's going to marry is vapid?

He remembers the Pitch Perfect 2 premiere. He recalls how he couldn't take his eyes off Kendrick, with her long flowing blue and purple gown and gorgeous, perfectly styled hair. Camp, meanwhile, had worn a non-flattering dress and dark makeup around her eyes that made her look like a raccoon. He told her she looked beautiful, of course, but what was he supposed to say?

Images of Anna Kendrick flood his mind now. Her on the cover of GQ, her lip-sync battling it out with John Krasinski, and her challenging Jimmy Fallon to Egg Russian Roulette. The list goes on and on. He looks over at a sleeping Camp and he automatically feels a surge of guilt. They're just thoughts, he rationalizes, and it hasn't gone beyond that.

Yet.

The next few days pass by in a blur, and she barely gives Skylar another thought. She's meeting Ben in New York City. They have plans to go to a nice restaurant, a change from their usual hermit-like behavior. They usually like to keep their relationship on the down-low, especially in or around the city, but she figures they're due for a nice romantic evening out. She secures a table in the back of the restaurant, away from prying eyes.

Skylar flies back to New York, as he's needed at rehearsals for West Side Story. Camp accompanies him as she's between projects right now and they're almost always together. He's tried to text Kendrick a few times but never receives a reply. Instead, he tries to throw all of his energy into his role of Tony. When Camp suggests that they go out for dinner one night, it's a welcome diversion. The restaurant is packed, but they easily get a table, and Skylar wishes it were more discreet, as fans are occasionally coming up to them and others are staring. Sometimes he wishes he could just have a normal dinner like any other person. It's when he's scanning the room to see who is noticing them that he sees them, Anna and Ben, tucked away in a private corner of the restaurant. They're laughing together and her hand is on top of his on the table, her thumb absently tracing patterns across his fingers. His stomach clenches as he watches them together.

Camp turns to look in the direction he's staring, "Oh hey, look who it is!" she exclaims happily. "Aww, they look so cute together. Do you think we should go say hello?"

"Maybe a little later," Skylar replies. He's not sure he wants Kendrick to know he's here yet, wanting to observe how she is with Ben a little bit out of curiosity.

He suffers through an uncomfortable dinner, his attention split between Kendrick and Camp, and he can't help but notice how at ease Anna is with Ben, how her eyes light up when she looks at him. He sees them standing up to leave, and he quickly turns his focus back to his fiancé, acting like he's completely fascinated by whatever mundane anecdote she's rambling on about now. She suddenly stops talking and says, "Hey guys! Didn't expect to bump into you here!"

Skylar looks up and sure enough, there she is. Kendrick is dressed in high heeled boots, a skirt, and a light blue top which makes her breasts look fantastic and brings out the color of her eyes. Her hair is down and perfectly curled, and she looks amazing. Skylar barely registers that Ben is standing right next to her until the other man extends his hand, introducing himself.

"Ben Richardson," he says, "Anna's boyfriend."

Skylar introduces himself and Camp, and the two couples make awkward small talk until Kendrick says, "Ok well we're heading over to After Hours, that new night club that just opened up. It was great running into you guys."

"Oh that sounds fun!" Camp exclaims, "I wanted to go check that place out. Honey, do you want to go?"

Skylar glances over at her, trying to communicate with his eyes that no, he does not in fact want to hang out with Anna Kendrick and her boyfriend, but Camp doesn't pick up on any of his signals. She doesn't wait for him to answer and tells the other couple, "We should be finishing up here in a bit, so we'll see you later?"

"Umm, sure, later I guess," Kendrick says, raising her eyebrows at Ben as he knowingly smiles back before they turn to leave.

"What the hell was that?" Skylar asks Camp, who is now checking her makeup in a small compact which she retrieved from her purse.

"What are you talking about?" Camp wonders

"They weren't inviting us to join them! Anna was just stating a fact that that's where they were going. She was probably trying to end the incredible awkwardness," he explains.

"What awkwardness?" Camp questions, clearly clueless. "Look, let's just go and have fun. Who cares what they are doing?"

He sighs, but figures if he persists she'll start to ask more questions, so he just goes along with Camp's vision of the evening. They pay the check and then head over to After Hours. It's a weeknight, so the place isn't too crowded. He spies Anna and Ben over by the bar, a small crowd of mostly men whom he doesn't recognize around Anna. She's talking, and everyone is laughing, and again he feels a twinge of jealousy. Camp makes a beeline for Anna and Ben, pushing her way through the crowd to stand in the center. She drapes her arm around Kendrick's shoulders as if they're best friends, and Skylar almost laughs at Kendrick's stunned expression at his fiancé's brazenness.

Camp immediately starts talking, stealing the attention away from Kendrick, who in turn pushes her way through the crowd, holding tightly onto Ben's hand. She walks past Skylar on her way to the dance floor, tossing a comment over her shoulder as she goes, "Better keep your eye on that one."

He watches her retreating form and the way the skirt clings to her hips. The music is great, and Anna and Ben start dancing. He hates the way Ben's hands are gripping her hips. He hates the way their bodies are pressed up against each other. He looks back over at Camp who is blissfully unaware of his inner turmoil. In fact, she hasn't even glanced in his direction in over a minute. The song ends and Ben makes his way over to the side of the club, in search of restrooms, and leaving Anna standing alone on the dance floor. She's absolutely stunning, standing there with the lights of the dance floor illuminating her face. She takes his breath away, and before he can talk himself out of it, he finds himself walking over to her.

"Wanna dance?" he asks.

"Ben will be right back," she responds, not looking at him.

"I know," he answers, "But I can't just leave you standing alone like this on a dance floor, not dancing."

She opens her mouth to protest as his hands grab her hips, pulling her flush against him as he begins to move to the music. He's a great dancer and he knows it, and he leads her effortlessly in time to the song. She wraps her arms around his neck and finally dares to look up at him. Her eyes sparkle in amusement as she says, "Camp's going to come over here and kill you."

"Let her," he answers, "At least I'll die happy."

Anna blushes, and he feels the heat between them as they move together. She starts rapping along with the song and he joins in just as Ben returns to the floor. Anna quickly steps away from Skylar, "Skylar was just keeping me company while you were gone."

"Cool, thanks man," Ben replies, patting Skylar on the shoulder and taking Anna's hand, spinning her in the other direction. Skylar watches them for a moment before realizing that he should check to see where Camp is. He turns in the direction where he last saw her, and there she is, her eyes like daggers glaring at him. He walks over to her and she turns her back on him, unwilling to meet his gaze.

"What's wrong?" he asks her.

"You think I didn't see that, you dancing with her? What were you doing Skylar? You're supposed to be here with me!" she is furious.

"And you're supposed to be here with me, but you were more than happy to be the center of attention for all those random guys! How long did it take you to notice that I wasn't by your side?" he replies, equally angry.

"So you just go and dance with _her_?" Camp snaps.

"She's a friend, and she was alone. You're the one that followed her here without being invited!" Skylar is trying to keep his voice even, but fails.

"What the hell, Skylar?" Camp's eyes glisten with unshed tears, "It's like ever since you got that text from her, you've been on another planet. I saw you with her just now, and that didn't look like just friends dancing."

"We have a connection!" Skylar tries to explain, "We're Jesse and Beca! That's all!"

"Whatever," she replies. "Let's just go. I don't want to fight anymore."

She walks in the direction of the exit and he reluctantly follows her, turning to see if Kendrick noticed any of what just happened, but she seems totally absorbed in Ben and oblivious to him. He scowls, not looking forward to the ensuing fight he's going to have with Camp at home. Why did he ever ask Anna to have coffee? Why did she have to text him in the first place?

If only he could just forget her touch, the feeling of her lips against his, and the feel of her body pressed into him, then maybe he could just get back to the way things were.

Except that he can't.

And worst of all, he doesn't want to.


	4. Chapter 4

The fight is epic. Well, mainly she yells and he half-listens. Something about how he's making a mockery of their engagement and what if others noticed him dancing with Kendrick. He doesn't care if others noticed, he explains. They're "just friends."

Eventually, he manages to calm Camp down and they make up. He starts asking her wedding prep questions which always seem to distract her enough so that she forgets why she was upset. And later, after he's left her alone in bed, he pulls on his clothes and scrolls through the internet, searching for photos of Anna and Ben together. There are very few, he notes, and when they are photographed it seems that they were trying to remain anonymous. Anna is dressed very plainly as is Ben, and they are just doing normal things together. He Googles himself and Camp, and a thousand pictures of them kissing and posing together instantly pop up. Maybe Kendrick has a point.

It isn't until the next morning that Camp starts rambling on and on about how men should wear engagement rings too, and she doesn't understand why they don't. She's saying she's going to buy him one and calling it a man-gagement ring. She points out, "I look taken, so why shouldn't you?"

That evening she presents him with his man-gagement ring, a band of braided metal. She slips it on his finger and snaps a picture of his hand with his phone and smiles, telling him, "Look it's the perfect tweet!" He goes along with it to appease her.

They head back to Los Angeles ahead of a monster blizzard heading toward the East Coast. Skylar's play rehearsal was postponed due to the snow, so he practices his lines at home. He finds himself constantly picking up his phone to see if Kendrick texted him, but she never does. He's bored, and restless, and itching to get out of the apartment, so he heads to the beach for a quick run to clear his head and exercise.

The beach is mostly empty as the weather is slightly overcast today, and he ends up walking instead of running due to the rocky terrain from last week's storm. He stops and stares out into the water, tossing a few rocks into the waves. When he turns around he sees her, sitting on a towel reading about ten yards away from him. He moves and sits down next to her, slinging his arms over his knees and cocking his head towards her, smiling.

"What are you doing here?" she asks, not even looking up from her book.

"I needed to clear my head and get some fresh air," he explains. "You?"

"I wanted to read and the TV kept interrupting me," she replies, finally lowering the book to look at him. She notices his ring and jabs it saying, "I thought the wedding date hadn't been set, yet."

"Oh, this isn't a wedding ring," he answers, "It's a man-gagement ring."

"Tell me you did not just say 'man-gagement'," she says, dissolving into laughter. Just when he thinks she's stopped she starts again after glancing at the ring.

"Are you done yet?" he asks impatiently, but she just keeps laughing.

"Seriously dude," she finally manages, "That's the worst thing I've ever seen, and that was before you called it a man-gagement ring."

"Gee, thanks," he replies sarcastically.

"Did Camp pick it out? I hope so," Anna is still holding back laughter as she continues. "I don't know if you know this, but the reason behind a woman being the recipient of the engagement ring dates back to the thirteenth century. It's supposed to be a symbol of the man asking for the woman's hand in marriage. You were the one who proposed, right?"

"Yes," he responds.

She shakes her head and lies back on her towel, looking up at the sky, "I just don't get it," she says.

"What?" he asks.

"Why you feel the need to broadcast your love all the time. What's important, of course, is not whether one, two, or none of you wear a ring - or whether they're from Tiffany's or a Cracker Jack box. What's important is your feelings. That's the great thing about love. Every couple gets to rewrite history their own way," she says, looking up at the clouds.

"That's what Camp is trying to do," he answers, "She wants us to be unique."

"No, she wants to mark you as hers," she corrects. "Is she really that insecure?"

"She was pretty mad the other night when she saw us dancing," he tells her, "And we had it out at home. How did Ben take it?"

Anna laughs, "He didn't mention it. Because to him you're just a friend of mine. Because he trusts me completely. I don't feel the need to shout my love for him from the rooftops, but that doesn't diminish the feeling in any way."

"Ouch," Skylar says, rubbing his chest, "You know how to hit a man where it hurts."

"I'm not trying to hurt you, I'm just speaking the truth. Don't you think there's something fundamentally wrong with a relationship that needs constant reaffirmation in the form of staged social media posts, rings, and declarations of love? If you love someone, you love them. They should know that because you tell them and show them every chance you get…in the privacy of your own relationship. It's like are you trying to prove it to the world, or to yourselves?" she questions.

He doesn't say anything for a long, long time. He's thinking over her words, carefully. "Look," he finally says, "Just because we aren't hermits like you and Ben doesn't mean we don't enjoy a private life too. Camp just likes to be affectionate."

"Is that what you're calling it?" Anna quips, but Skylar doesn't laugh. "Hey," she says, turning up his crestfallen chin to look at her, "I'm sorry I'm being a bitch about your relationship with Camp. Friends tell each other the truth, right? I just can't help thinking you deserve better than this."

"Really?" he asks quietly. "And what would better look like to you?"

"I don't know," she replies thoughtfully, "Someone who appreciates you for who you are. Someone who doesn't feel the need to dig her talons into you every chance she gets. Someone who trusts you and loves you completely. Someone who values everything you bring to a relationship that's uniquely you. I think Camp loves the idea of you, sometimes."

"You don't think she really loves me?" he asks, incredulous.

"I don't think she really knows you," Anna clarifies, "If she did, she wouldn't have bought you this ring. You can't tell me you actually like it."

He chuckles, looking at it, "No, I can't. But I'm hoping I can replace it with the actual wedding band of my choosing," he twists the ring on his finger. There's something so natural about sitting with Anna Kendrick like this, just talking. He looks over at her, the sky reflecting in her eyes. Sometimes, he realizes, she simply takes his breath away.

"Do you think you really know me," he asks.

She pauses, thinking it over before responding with, "No, not yet, but I'm learning."

They smile at each other, taking a moment to enjoy the breeze and the fresh air. He feels warmth spread across his body just looking at her. She's the first to look away, turning her attention back to the ocean.

"Are you happy?" she asks him finally, breaking the silence.

"I'd like to think so," he answers her. "You?"

"I've always felt like that's a loaded question," she answers. "It's like right or wrong, happy or sad, they're polar opposites, right? But one can't exist without the other. I won't know happiness until I feel sadness, and so on. I feel like people can be happy in a moment, or feel a general sense of contentment, but happy all the time? I don't think you can achieve that without medication or copious amounts of alcohol."

He laughs, "Interesting way of looking at it," he comments.

"Don't get me wrong," she continues, "I think in general I'm happy, yes. But I also feel like there's something missing at times. And I don't know what it is."

"Yeah, I get that," he replies quietly. He steals another glance at her, and his heart skips a beat. Then, without looking away he says, "And I'm starting to figure out what it might be."

She meets his gaze and they lock eyes for a moment. His gaze is so intense that she finds herself unable to look away. She stands abruptly, pats him on the shoulder and says, "I'd better be going, that thing could be bugged or wired for GPS," she points at his ring, breaking the moment.

He stands also, collecting her towel, shaking it off, folding it and handing to her. Their hands brush up against each other and there is that familiar surge of electricity coursing between them. "I'll see you around, ok?" he says softly, leaning down to kiss her cheek before turning to go.

And now it's her turn to stare.

 **A/N: Thoughts? Please tell me you hate that ring too and I'm not alone in this. Castin needs to be stopped before the internet self-destructs from the sickeningly-sweet love posts, taking us all with it.**


	5. Chapter 5

She closes Twitter and shakes her head. Is he serious? Even if Ben had insisted that she do something so cringe-worthy, she wouldn't. No, scratch that, Ben would never ask.

Ben…

She's supposed to see him tomorrow and she's looking forward to it. They're going to meet at Sequoia National Park and she's hoping the giant trees will hide them from the prying eyes of the public. It isn't that she's ashamed of Ben, nothing like that at all, but when she's not working she just wants to be like everyone else, and she wants Ben to feel like that too. His face is far less recognizable as he's a cinematographer and not an actor, and she feels badly that he's always a target just because of his relationship with her. She wants to keep things as normal as they can possibly be given their situation.

She and Ben meet in the morning and enjoy a day of hiking, a picnic lunch, and just talking. She enjoys days like this the most, when she can feel relaxed and carefree away from the stress of the city. The trees are enormous, and she grabs onto both of Ben's hands to show him the oldest tree in the park, her eyes looking up at his in amazement. It's then that she hears the clicking of a camera behind them and she turns to see a fan.

"You're Anna Kendrick, right?" the woman asks.

"Nah, I just look remarkably like her," Anna kids, but smiles and makes polite conversation with the woman before she and Ben go on their way. "Almost, but not quite," she whispers to Ben and he smiles as he takes her hand, leading her down the trail. They enjoy the rest of the day together in relative anonymity and quiet.

It isn't until later that evening when she checks her phone that she realizes that the picture the fan took has gone viral. The articles written about her and Ben by some random reporters paint her relationship in a good light, so she smiles and places her phone down, not giving the pictures another thought.

Skylar is watching the sports network when Camp suggests that they go for a walk. It's almost sunset and the walk aimlessly through the streets of Los Angeles until they find themselves near the shore. He finds himself thinking of Kendrick and their talk when Camp asks to take a selfie of them. He smiles for the photo, still treading on thin ice with her as she talks about her day and he mainly just listens. She shows him the photo before posting it on Instagram, and it isn't until she's fallen asleep in front of the television later that he loads up the site and checks out Camp's post. Some of the comments have been scathing lately about them so he only half pays attention. He decides to Google Camp's name to see if there's been any negative press about them lately and as he types "Anna" he notices that Anna Kendrick is the first option. He clicks on her name instead and immediately the pictures of her and Ben from today appear on his screen. His stomach clenches as he enlarges the photo and sees her eyes smiling up at someone else. He hates that it isn't him in the photo. He hates that she has this effect on him. Without thinking, he picks up his phone to text her.

" _So how was Sequoia today?"_

Her reply comes only a minute later. _"Great, I see you've seen the photos. A fan took them when we weren't looking. How was your walk?"_

He grins, knowing that she was spying on him too. _"Very nice, thanks. What are you up to tomorrow?"_

She types out her reply, " _Nothing much, just running some errands. You? Shaving perhaps?"_

He laughs out loud, causing Camp stir slightly in her sleep _. "What? You don't like the beard?"_

She replies, _"You call that a beard?"_

He laughs again, _"Hey, it's only a few days growth!"_

When she doesn't answer he adds, _"Mind if I join you tomorrow?"_

She pauses, her thumbs poised over the touch-screen keyboard as she thinks over her response. _"Sure, but only if you shave. Would hate not to be able to see those dimples."_

He smiles. She's flirting with him, isn't she? His mind is reeling. They finalize plans to meet up tomorrow just to run errands, 'as friends' she clarifies. Only he doesn't feel as though they're only friends, he keeps getting vibes from her that they are something more. Does she feel the same? He stares at the photos of her and Ben and wonders if these feelings are only in his head.

Anna paces around her house wondering why she agreed to hang out with Skylar. They are just friends, she reminds herself. She texts Ben to let him know that Skylar will be going with her to IKEA tomorrow. His reply comes back, _"Great, now he can help you with any heavy lifting."_ She feels a pang of guilt at the ease of his response but quickly dismisses it, telling herself that she has nothing to feel guilty about.

Skylar doesn't mention anything about meeting Kendrick to Camp, who has plans to meet some friends to go shopping. He notices her in the lobby of the store before she sees him; her sunglasses perched on top of her long flowing brunette curls, her purse slung over her shoulder. He takes in the way her jeans hug her curves just right, and the casual way which she carries herself, as if she isn't an Oscar-nominated actress. She's making conversation with an older gentleman who obviously doesn't recognize her celebrity status when she turns and sees Skylar standing there smiling at her, his hands tucked into the pockets of his dark-wash jeans.

"Hey," she smiles back at him, and he feels his stomach do a little flip.

"Hey you," he responds softly before gesturing to the entrance, "Shall we?"

They walk through the automatic doors in silence as they take in the massive lobby. They both get on the escalator to take them to the top floor of the store and begin browsing through the insane amount of plates and textiles. "So tell me," he finally says, "Why is a millionaire like you shopping at an IKEA when you could pretty much afford anything you wanted and you wouldn't have to put it together."

"Maybe putting it together is the fun part," she replies, "And besides, just because you can afford things doesn't mean you should. I may have work now, but what if I don't in a year? My mom is an accountant and she taught me how to save and invest my money. I drive a Prius because I want to and because it's practical."

It's just such a stark contrast to what he's used to with Camp, who is always trying to impress people with the items she buys or the clothes she wears. Kendrick is the opposite. She does what makes her happy and doesn't worry what others think. He smiles fondly at her.

"What?" she asks, noticing his stare.

"Nothing," he answers, "It's just that you're so different from Camp. You really don't care what people think of you, do you?"

"I wouldn't say I don't care at all," she says, flopping down on one of the made-up beds on display and looking up at the ceiling, "It's just that I try to not let other people's opinions drive my own decisions, because ultimately I'm stuck with me."

"It's like you made this bed and now you have to lie in it," he jokes, realizing the corniness of his pun as he lies down beside her.

She rolls her eyes at him, "Yes, exactly," she answers. "This is pretty comfy," she adds.

"It is," he agrees, smiling at her again, and she abruptly gets up and walks into the kitchen. "So what do you think?" she asks as she poses with a pan and a spatula. "Could I pull this off?"

"I think you could pull anything off you set your mind to," he says, his tone a bit too soft to be just friendly.

She blushes and starts rambling about the different aspects of the cabinetry and countertops to curb her nerves, until he interrupts her.

"So what is it about Ben that keeps you hooked?" he asks seemingly out of nowhere.

He gapes at him, but only for a second before she recovers. "He's kind, smart, and funny," she explains, "And we can just talk about anything and everything. We really care about each other and he's considerate of me." She pauses, looking at him, "What made you decide to propose to Camp?"

"Well we'd been dating a while and it seemed like the next step," he replies.

"Ehh, wrong answer!" she teases, mimicking a game show buzzer. "Totally not a reason to get married, dude."

He laughs now at her boldness, "Right, because you know so much about marriage," he says sarcastically. "Enlighten me, oh wise one."

She grins back at him. "You're right, I don't know anything about marriage, but what I do know is that you should marry someone because you love them. Period."

"I do love her," he replies, his tone serious.

"Why do I have a feeling there's a 'but' coming?" she questions.

"But," he continues, "Sometimes I just feel like we're a bit out of step. You know what I mean?"

"Yeah," she replies quietly, feeling the fabric on a pillow as they pass by, "I always assume it's because of my schedule or my job, you know? Like there's chemistry but I never quite completely click with anyone. Maybe I'm just too weird."

He laughs, "No, I know exactly what you mean." He looks at her and their eyes lock, and again he feels this surge of electricity between them. "Anna," he says, the simple utterance of her name carrying all the weight of his emotions and the unspoken feelings between them.

She turns away from him, intently focusing on some random cabinet. He moves to stand right in front of her, so she can't shy away from him anymore. "Anna," he says again more gently, tilting her chin up to meet his gaze.

"I can't," she replies simply, "And neither can you."

"But do you want to?" he asks.

"I don't know," she answers honestly. Because she is conflicted, that much is certain. There's just too much risk involved. He's engaged. She's in a relationship. And he's been known to destroy marriages in the past.

They reach the section where all the office supplies and desks are located, which was the purpose of this trip. They go over the pros and cons of each item, weighing them carefully so that she can make an informed decision. After she decides on a desk and they descend to the warehouse area to locate the box and load it onto a cart he asks, "Is this going to fit into your car?"

"Sure," she says, "Well it's going to have to."

"If it doesn't you can put it in mine and I'll just follow you home and drop it off," he suggests.

"Great, thanks," she smiles at him, her eyes still full of uncertainty.

She moves to hand assist him with the box, and their hands brush against each other. "Tell me you don't feel that, and I'll never ask again," he says definitively.

"I can't," she says again. He follows her to the cash registers and she pays for the desk. They wheel it into the parking lot in the direction of her car. He's right, it doesn't fit and so they end up putting it in his car.

"So, I'll follow you?" he asks and she nods, looking up at him thoughtfully.

She reaches up, stroking his face lightly where he had shaved this morning. "Much better," she says, her expression softening.

And as he gets in his car and follows her tiny Prius in the direction of her home, he isn't sure exactly where they're heading. All he knows is he can't stop the fluttering of his heart every time he looks at Anna Kendrick.

 **A/N: I know, this isn't great, and if I bother to proofread I won't have the guts to post it. I struggled because Castin is just so awful lately. I'm trying to advance the story, I promise. Feedback is always welcome, even if you hate my guts.**


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: I know it's been forever since I updated and I am sorry. To those of you who hate me, I don't understand why you're even bothering to read this. It's called** _ **fiction**_ **for a reason, and every story needs an antagonist. In a Kastin story, this clearly has to be Camp. So I apologize if you're offended or mad, but if you don't like it, please don't read it. Now onto the story…**

She feels like a live wire, driving home through the crazy Los Angeles traffic on the way to her house. She keeps checking the rearview mirror to see if Skylar is behind her still, and laughs when she sees him singing rather animatedly to a song on the radio. She drums her fingers on the steering wheel, trying to calm her nerves. He's just a friend helping her, she reminds herself. There's no cause for alarm.

After what seems like forever, she pulls into her garage and Skylar parks his car behind hers. He opens the trunk and starts lifting the large box containing the desk into his arms. She moves around the car to help him and together they carry the box into the house.

"Where to?" he asks, and she gestures to the stairs. They stumble a few times on the stairs, laughing awkwardly at their clumsiness as they ascend. They place the box on the floor in one of the bedrooms, clearly used as her office. She folds up the card table that she was using as a desk and leans it up against the wall.

"Again, you're a millionaire," he points out to her.

"And this is a very nice desk," she replies, pointing at the box.

"So, this is your house," he comments, looking around the room. "Are you going to give me a tour?"

She laughs, "Sure, though it's not that interesting." But, nevertheless, she moves toward the door and gestures for him to follow her. "Let's start downstairs and work our way up," she explains, heading down the steps and to the front door. She shows him her house, and he notices how everything is practical, understated, and simply her. She rambles as she gives him the tour, keenly aware of his close proximity to her.

"This is a great place," he affirms, and she smiles. He can't help but notice how she avoids making eye contact with him for any length of time, and how she keeps wringing her hands together when she talks. He can tell she's nervous, and he can't quell the butterflies in his stomach that won't ever seem to land when he's around her.

"Thanks," she responds quietly, moving to look out the window into the backyard. "Do you like living with Camp?" she asks. "Sometimes I think it must be nice to live with someone I love. I mean, I've only lived with family or roommates, you know?"

"Yeah," he responds, standing beside her, "I do like it. It's nice to always have someone around who loves you. But at times I miss my privacy, or the ability to just come and go as I please without owing anyone an explanation."

"It's nice to have someone else care about where you are all the time, though," she counters.

"Yes, it is," he answers. For a full minute neither of them say anything. He looks at her and notices the way the sun shining in through the window is reflecting off the long tendrils of her hair, making them shine. He reaches out and touches one lock of hair, threading the ends through his fingers before releasing it once more.

"So thanks for helping me with the desk," she says, walking quickly away from him and towards the door. "It was great seeing you."

He takes this as his cue to leave, "Anna," he says softly.

She holds up her hand, "No. Stop."

"Stop what? We're just hanging out here, as friends. I enjoy spending time with you," he explains.

"I do too," she admits, "But you're engaged. And I am not someone who takes commitment lightly."

"Neither am I," he begins but she shakes her head to silence him.

"I'm glad we talked and reconnected," she tells him, "At least it will make filming Pitch Perfect 3 less awkward."

"So this was all for a movie, right? It meant nothing else to you? Tell me you don't feel it, and I'll leave and pretend nothing ever happened. Tell me and I'll go and you won't have to hear from me again," he says, his voice wavering slightly as he tries to get the words out.

"Nothing did happen, that's the point," she clarifies. "And it can't, because I won't let it. Now go back to your fiancé, Skylar."

She gestures to the door and he opens it, turning around one more time to look at her. "It would have changed everything if I had known before, Anna," he tells her. "I would have chosen you. It's always been you."

"A little late for that," she says sadly before closing the door in his face.

-x-x-x-x-x-x-

Months pass, and she doesn't speak to him. He tries sending her a few messages, but in the end decides it's probably for the best. This way he can properly focus on Camp and the impending wedding. He explains the momentary blip with Kendrick away as normal cold feet. He's too busy to really concentrate on anything except for his performance as Tony in West Side Story.

Kendrick busies herself with various projects. Her book is completed and has a release date of November. She hangs out with the Pitch Perfect girls for a few events and birthdays, and is relieved when Camp doesn't attend any of the gatherings. She doesn't see Ben much, and she avoids anything to do with Skylar. It isn't until she posts a picture of her and Ben Platt on Instagram wishing him luck for the opening night of his new play that she finally hears from Skylar. Her phone pings with his incoming text.

 _Our friend Ben is pretty damn amazing, isn't he? How are you doing?_

She stares at her phone for a long while, contemplating the pros and cons of actually responding to him. She had been doing so well, and she doesn't want to complicate things any further. He's still engaged, after all. She ignores the text, turning her phone over and placing it far away from herself in an effort to avoid temptation. She packs her bag for NYC, eager to see Ben Platt in his new show, and tries not to think about Skylar. She arrives for her Wednesday matinee show in the hopes that she doesn't garner any attention, wanting all the focus to be on her wonderful friend. She is in complete awe of him and his talent by the time she leaves the theater. She sends him a quick text to let him know she was there and that he is amazing before heading back out onto the crowded streets of the city. She has a few hours before she has plans to have dinner with her mother, and decides to head for a walk in Central Park.

She turns to head in the direction of the park when she feels a hand close around her elbow, effectively stopping her movement. She spins around to see who has invaded her personal space and finds herself staring into his gorgeous chocolate brown eyes.

"Hey beautiful, long time no see," he greets warmly.

"Hey, I didn't know you were going to be here," she replies.

"You would have if you ever answered my text," he says simply, but she detects an edge to his voice.

"I've been busy, ok?" she responds, slightly defensive.

"Right, with your book and your many public appearances," he says sarcastically.

"And you've been busy planning your wedding," she snaps, narrowing her eyes at him as she spins around, heading toward the park. He follows her, much to her dismay. 

"So what? We can't be friends? We can't even be civil?" he questions.

"I don't know, can you?" she answers, not looking at him. She tries to walk quickly but he easily keeps pace, his long legs taking one step to her two.

"Can we just talk? About anything? Not our relationships but as friends? I really miss that. I miss you," he admits, and the honesty of her words causes her to stop and turn to face him.

"Look," she says, "I want to be friends too, I just don't know if I can."

"Why not?" he asks.

"Because of this," she replies softly, gesturing between the two of them. "I am not going to break up a marriage."

"Low blow," he answers smoothly before adding, "But engaged is not married."

"How convenient," she replies sardonically, shaking her head. "You're failing to acknowledge the douchey-ness of that statement. This," she gestures between them again, "Doesn't happen as long as there's that," she points at his ring.

"Hey, hey," he grabs her by the elbow, turning her so that she's facing him. "All I'm asking for is a walk, nothing more."

He scans her face, searching for her reaction. His eyes trail down her body to her lovely curves and back up to the tops of her breasts which are visible over the low neckline of her dress. "You're really beautiful, you know that?" he adds before he can stop himself, but it does earn him a small smile.

"Thanks," she whispers. "So do you think you'll sign on for the third?"

"I haven't been asked yet," he admits. "Maybe I was so horrendous in two that I ruined my chances. I just couldn't get it back, you know? Something was off."

"Our chemistry, you mean?" she wonders, glancing shyly up at him. "Somehow I don't think that's going to be a problem again. Plus, I want to see where Beca and Jesse end up. Do you think they'll end up together?"

"Of course," he replies. "They're soulmates. They belong together."

"How do you know?" she asks, and he has a feeling she isn't just talking about Beca and Jesse anymore.

"He took one look at her and I think he just knew. He just knew he was never going to find anyone more amazing than her. He knows that even if he tries his best to love someone else, something is always going to be missing. He's always going to be missing her. That's why he spends the entire first movie trying to get her to admit her feelings, because he knows she's the only one really worth fighting for," he responds, looking her directly in the eyes.

"Wow," she whispers.

"He's just waiting for her to open her eyes and finally see what he's known all along. That they are perfect together, that no matter what he will always choose her," he adds.

She stops walking and turns to face him, her eyes shining with emotion. "I need to go," she whispers weakly, and moves to kiss his cheek. At the last second, he turns his face so that his lips meet hers. He deepens the kiss, his tongue tangling with hers. He feels her knees buckle, and his arms snake around her waist, pressing her body firmly against his. He slides his hand up to brush against her cheek, the coolness of his ring snapping her out of her haze.

"I can't," she pleads, "Please."

He opens his eyes to look at her, her face displaying every emotion. Love, fear, shame, sorrow, joy, and lust are etched across her perfect features, and he's the fool making her feel this way. Nervously, he twists the ring on his finger as the realization of what just happened reaches his consciousness.

"Anna," he begins, but she shakes her head, her eyes filling with unshed tears.

"I need to go," he says, giving her hand a final squeeze before turning and fleeing the scene. He doesn't turn around, can't bear to face her again. As he runs back in the direction of his and Camp's place, he sends her a text.

 _I choose you._


	7. Chapter 7

He runs until he is completely winded, out of breath. He doesn't know what possessed him to kiss her. It was almost as if his lips were drawn to hers by some unseen magnetic force. He couldn't _not_ kiss her. And then once his lips touched hers, it was like coming home, as if all the stars in the universe aligned to form this one perfect moment. And in that instant he finally admitted to himself what he knew from the beginning, that she was the one for him.

It was that look on her face that shook him to his core. He never wanted Anna Kendrick to look that way because of him. He knew he had hurt her with his actions, but there was no going back now. He had to make things right.

Anna stands in the park for an immeasurable amount of time, unable to move. She stares in the direction in which Skylar had disappeared, and when her phone buzzes with his incoming message she pulls it out of her pocket and reads.

 _I choose you._

She can't think of anything but the way his lips felt against hers. She's kissed other guys, but nothing was like this. She's even kissed him as Jesse Swanson before during filming, but it pales in comparison to Skylar kissing her. She knows she can't do this, that this is an impossible situation that will only end in heartache for all. She looks at her phone and his message, not knowing what to say. Does she choose him as well? She barely knows him.

She walks back to the hotel she's staying at and she knows one thing for sure, she needs to talk to Ben. She picks up her phone and dials his number, silently hoping he doesn't answer.

"Hey babe," he answers smoothly, causing her heart to constrict a little.

"Hey," she responds. "Listen, there's something I need to talk to you about." She pauses, and he doesn't say anything. "Skylar kissed me, and I'm sorry. I thought you should know because we're always completely honest with each other."

"Did you kiss him back?" Ben asks, but he doesn't sound angry, more curious.

"Yes," she admits.

"Anna," he tells her, "You know I love you, and I think you're great, and we have a great time together. But I can't be there with you as much as I want to be. And I understand if you're developing feelings for someone else, it's only natural. He seems like a good guy, but isn't he engaged to Anna Camp?"

"He is," she answers. "It's complicated. I didn't expect him to…I didn't plan for…"

"It's ok," he reassures her, "You don't owe me an explanation. We haven't seen each other in months. Why don't you figure out if there's anything real there, and then let me know, ok?"

"You're amazing," she tells him, "Seriously. You know I would never do anything to intentionally hurt you, right?"

"I know," he assures her. After they say their goodbyes, she sits on the bed for a while before changing and getting ready for dinner with her mother.

Skylar opens the door to the apartment he shares with Camp, happy to find that she isn't home yet. He feels like the world's biggest jackass, and he knows that Camp is going to be furious with him, as she should be. He scans the place and wonders if he'll even be allowed back here again once he admits what happened with Kendrick. He sits on the couch in silence waiting for her to come home, his arms folded across his chest as he stares into space.

He hears her key in the lock and his stomach clenches, but he doesn't turn to look at her as she enters. "Hey babe," he hears her say. Camp crosses the room and bends to kiss him. She aims for his lips but at the last second he turns, her lips landing on his cheek instead. "What is it?" she asks, able to read his body language well.

He twists the ring on his finger again before slipping it off, holding it up for her to see. "I don't like this ring," he tells her.

"Ok," she answers, "So we'll go pick out another one together."

"I don't want another one," he responds. "I don't want an engagement ring at all." 

"What are you talking about? Where is this coming from?" she questions.

"Here," he says, closing his fist over his heart. "I always felt this way, I just didn't tell you because you were so happy. You've always been so happy with me. And I've always been happy with that fact. But it's not enough now."

"What changed?" she demands. When he doesn't immediately answer she adds, "It's because of Kendrick isn't it?"

"How did you…what are you…" he trails off.

"I see the way you look at her," she interrupts, beginning to pace the room. "I'm not stupid, Skylar. I know you always had one eye on her, but she never looked back. I told myself it was just the movie messing with your head, and for a while I believed it. But lately…"

"I know," he whispers. "I kissed her today. I swear I didn't mean to, it just happened."

Camp's eyes fill with tears. "I thought you loved me! You wanted to marry me. God, Skylar, you proposed to me!"

"I know," he replies, unable to look at her. "Please don't blame Kendrick. This was me, it was all me."

Camp doesn't say anything for a while, her hands covering her face as she cries. "I don't know what to do with all this. What do you want, Skylar? What am I supposed to do?"

"I don't know," he answers truthfully. "But I need to figure it out."

She slips off her engagement ring, placing it next to his on the coffee table. "Follow your heart," she tells him. "I don't want to marry someone who doesn't want to marry me. No matter how much I love you, it won't matter if you don't love me back."

"I didn't say I didn't love you," he corrects.

"But it isn't enough," she amends.

"I just feel like I need to sort out my feelings. Like I wouldn't even be having these feelings for Kendrick if everything was as it should be, you know? Listen, I'll go. I'll head back to LA and you can stay here. We'll figure things out. I just need to be honest with you. I feel like I've been wanting your happiness for so long that I forgot to think about my own."

"Gee, that's nice," she says bitterly. "Then go. And find out whether it's just cold feet or if it's real. And let me know," she sighs.

"Thank you," he whispers. He moves around the apartment, gathering his clothes and what few belongings he needs, and heads to a hotel for the night. He expects to feel sorrow or remorse, but instead he feels like a weight has been lifted from his shoulders. Now he can finally be himself and act on his feelings without guilt or shame.

Anna Kendrick leaves the restaurant, after having a slightly awkward dinner with her mother which results in a barrage of questions regarding her love life for which at this time, she doesn't have answers. She tells her mother about her falling out with Ben, and how she and Skylar had become friends recently. She leaves out the part about the kiss, not wanting her mother to judge either her or Skylar, but it's all she can think about now. She hugs her arms tightly to her chest, cold in the unusually brisk May evening.

Her head is down as she enters the hotel, not wanting anyone to recognize her or approach her. She just wants to go to her room. She takes the elevator up to her floor, exits and walks quickly past the ice and vending machines. "Anna?" she hears, and she freezes as her brain registers his voice. She back steps a few paces and stops to see Skylar, in pajama pants and a tight fitting black t-shirt, trying to get ice out of the machine.

"What are you doing here?" she questions.

"Eh, well," he begins, "I didn't think it was appropriate to stay in my place after I broke my engagement with Camp."

"So you're not together anymore, why?" her eyes are wide as her heart begins to pound, fearful of his response.

"Because of you, because of me, because of _this_ ," he gestures between them as they had done earlier, closing the distance between them in two strides. His lips brush hers gently at first before he presses them to hers firmly.

"No, I can't," she says, breaking the kiss. "You only just broke up with Camp. I only just ended things with Ben. It's too soon. We don't even know each other, really."

He runs his hands through his hair. "You ended things with Ben? No wait, you're right, I'm sorry. I just couldn't _not_ kiss you."

She smiles, though briefly, and his heart soars in triumph.

"I think I need to be alone for a while," she keeps her voice steady despite her racing heart, hoping she sounds convincing.

He doesn't reply, just nods in acknowledgement. She turns to walk in the direction of her room and is bewildered when she discovers it is right next to his. He shrugs innocently as he slips his key card into the door.

"At least I'll be able to share a wall with you tonight," he tells her with a wink. He pauses, his foot wedged in the door frame as he turns to look at her. "Hey AK-47?" he waits until he knows he has her attention, "All I'm asking for is a chance. Take some time and think about it, and let me know, ok?" he smiles at her warmly before he disappears behind the door.

She's awake for a long time, alone with her swirling thoughts as she tries to chase sleep. After a long while, she picks up her phone and opens his message from earlier. She thinks for a moment before typing her reply.

 _Ditto._


End file.
